No, it’s not April Fool’s Day in October…Balenciaga is being sued by Little Trees, maker of the iconic tree-shaped car fresheners. The lawsuit claims that Balenciaga produced an accessory that is an imitation of the Little Tree design, trademarked back in 1952.
The news may not come as a complete surprise, especially since Balenciaga has been known to take “inspiration” from everyday items. Earlier this year, the brand was been slammed with a lawsuit by a New York Souvenir company for stealing the designs from an iconic souvenir tote bag. The “Multicoloured New York Bazar Shopper” tote bag was being sold by Balenciaga for $1,950, while the regular souvenir tote bag costs around $20. Little Trees is facing a similar issue with its $3 air freshener inspiring a $275 Balenciaga keyring.
Little Trees is pursuing the lawsuit since they believe it may cause confusion with consumers as to who owns the design. So far, Balenciaga has not given any public comments on the lawsuit.
